Warriors’ Durant suffers Achilles injury in Game 5
TORONTO — Golden State forward Kevin Durant has an injured right Achilles, a massive blow for the perennial All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP who may be three weeks away from free agency and could also be facing a long rehabilitation process.
Warriors general manager Bob Myers was teary when he gave the news after Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night. An MRI will be performed Tuesday to determine the severity, but Durant’s season is clearly over and his recovery will likely take several months if the Achilles is indeed torn.
“He’s one of the most misunderstood people,” Myers said. “He’s a good teammate, he’s a good person, it’s not fair. I’m lucky to know him. I don’t have all the information on what really the extent of what it all means until we get a MRI, but the people that worked with him and cleared him are good people, they’re good people.”
Myers said Durant’s first injury of this postseason was a calf injury, as the Warriors have insisted throughout. Myers also said that he is willing to accept the blame for the decision to play Durant in Game 5.
Golden State won 106105, cutting Toronto’s lead in the NBA Finals to 3-2.
“I don’t believe there’s anybody to blame, but I understand in this world and if you have to, you can blame me,” Myers said. “I run our basketball operations department. And to tell you something about Kevin Durant, Kevin Durant loves to play basketball, and the people that questioned whether he wanted to get back to this team were wrong.”
Durant got hurt on a dribble on the right wing, coming up lame on a crossover move and falling to the floor. He grabbed the back of his leg, appeared to grab below the calf and more toward the Achilles area, and needed help to limp to the bench area and more help to get back to the Warriors’ locker room. Warriors forward Andre Iguodala was on Durant’s left side as they made the long walk back to the room, with Myers and Stephen Curry in the group immediately behind them.
“It sucks. I feel so bad for him, his camp,” Warriors guard Klay Thompson said. “He’s going to
come back stronger though. That’s the kind of fighter he is and I’m going to miss him, man. It’s not the same being out there without him.”